The temperatures are climbing, and while we’re all in on cold brew and we love the occasional iced mocha as well, there is one coffee drink component that truly heralds the arrival of summer for me: ice cream. At least two people in our office have referred to the affogato as “objectively the best espresso drink,” and, though one might debate whether it’s really “a drink” I can’t say I disagree. A scoop of rich, sweet ice cream and a shot of fresh, strong espresso? It’s simply marvelous!

Here’s how you can make your own affogato, plus several other ideas for combining ice cream with coffee to delicious effect:

Affogato

Making an affogato is super easy, and whether you’re doing it for dessert or as a mid-day treat, you can’t really go wrong. If you’ve ever had coffee ice cream, you know the flavor profile goes super well together, and the interplay of textures and temperatures in an affogato just takes it to the next level.

Simple recipe:

• Put a scoop of vanilla ice cream or gelato in a small bowl

• Pull a shot of espresso

• Pour the espresso over the ice cream and enjoy

Next level:

• The most common version of an affogato is vanilla ice cream, and a traditional espresso blend, but there are so many more combinations to try out. Fruit flavors like strawberry and cherry go well with chocolate: they’ll go just as well with espresso. OR stay with vanilla ice cream and make the espresso from a super wild and fruity single origin. The world is your ice cream scoop.

Cold Brew Float

Maybe you don’t have an espresso machine, but you do make cold brew at home. How about this caffeinated, slightly less sweet take on a root beer float? Nothing could be easier.

Simple recipe:

• Fill your favorite glass up around ⅔ of the way with cold brew.

• Scoop in a scoop or two of your favorite ice cream

• Give it a gentle stir to start combining the cream with the coffee, and enjoy

Next level:

• The above recipe is already delicious, but it’s missing a little of the fizz you’d get from soda pop. Bubble it up by using half cold brew concentrate (it’s important that it’s concentrate so the drink isn’t too watery) and half soda water. Stir those together before adding ice cream, and there you go.

Australian Iced Coffee

Emma de Wit, who runs Trade’s coffee operations, is both an experienced barista and an experienced Australian. And many things from Australian coffee culture have blown up in the US, it was brand new information to our whole team that an “iced coffee” in many Australian coffee shops is a wonderful cross between an affogato, a float, and an iced latte.

Simple Recipe

• Pull a double shot of espresso

• Fill a tall glass ¾ of the way with ice, and top with milk.

• On top of that, add one scoop of ice cream.

• Pour the espresso over the top.

Isn't that already next level enough?